APRIL 24, 2026
Neighbor’s Long-Time Maintenance of Unused Railway Property Does Not Entitle It to Ownership
A Summit County business failed to provide enough evidence to claim ownership of two neighboring parcels of land it had maintained since 1997, but are actually owned by Norfolk Southern Railway Company, the Supreme Court of Ohio ruled today.
APRIL 23, 2026
Only Process Set by State Law Can Be Used for Postconviction Challenge to Death Sentence
A Trumbull County man on death row since 1992 must follow a process set by state law, and not rely on court procedural rules, to challenge his sentence, the Supreme Court of Ohio ruled today.
APRIL 22, 2026
Submetering Company Subject to Regulation by PUCO as a Public Utility
A submetering company that arranged with landlords to sell electricity to apartment tenants is a “public utility” subject to regulation by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO), the Supreme Court of Ohio ruled today.
Judge's Refusal to Seal Record of Woman’s Seven Convictions Upheld
The Supreme Court of Ohio today upheld a denial to seal a woman’s criminal record after a Hamilton County trial judge found that she had not demonstrated she had been rehabilitated and that the government’s interest in keeping the records public outweighed the woman’s interest in concealing them.
APRIL 21, 2026
Featured Decision: One-Year Deadline to Refile Lawsuit Falls on Anniversary Date of Dismissal
The Supreme Court of Ohio decision holding that under the Ohio saving statute, the deadline to refile a dismissed lawsuit falls on the one-year anniversary date of the dismissal, not the following day is the latest “Featured Decision” video.
APRIL 13, 2026
Featured Decision: Court Upholds Drug and Alcohol Restrictions for Theft Offender
The Supreme Court of Ohio's decision allowing a trial judge to prohibit a Geauga County woman from using drugs or alcohol and from entering bars as part of her sentence for misdemeanor theft is the latest “Featured Decision” video.
APRIL 21, 2026
Legal Legacy: Justice Beyond the Courtroom
This month, the Supreme Court of Ohio traveled to Carrollton to hear three cases before a unique audience: more than 900 high school students. The visit to Carroll County was part of the Supreme Court’s long-running Off-Site Court Program, which brings oral arguments into local high schools across the state.
MARCH 26, 2026
Legal Legacy: Sam Sheppard “The Fugitive”
In 1954, a violent crime inside a lakefront Bay Village home drew national attention. Marilyn Sheppard was bludgeoned to death, and her husband, osteopathic physician Sam Sheppard, became the prime suspect. The subsequent trial and appeals were among the most highly publicized in Ohio history and later set the standard for how courts manage intense media coverage to protect the defendant’s right to a fair trial.
MARCH 5, 2026
Legal Legacy: Monthly Themed Exhibits Honor America 250
As part of its America 250 initiative, the Supreme Court of Ohio has unveiled a series of monthly exhibits in its newly renovated Marble Showcase. The rotating exhibits celebrate Ohio's rich history, culture, and contributions to the nation in anticipation of America’s 250th anniversary.
MARCH 17, 2026
Justice’s Law Review Article Proposes Reconsidering Judicial Age Limits
Ohioans might be open to increasing the 70-year age limit for judges to run for office, but only by a few more years, and as long as the judges leave the bench when they reach their 80s, according to research conducted by Supreme Court of Ohio Justice Patrick F. Fischer.
MARCH 12, 2026
Tuscarawas County Prosecutor Looks Forward to New Judgeship Appointment
A new general and domestic relations judge is taking the bench at the Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court.
APRIL 24, 2026
February Ohio Bar Exam Results Announced
The Supreme Court of Ohio today released the results from the February 2026 Ohio Bar Examination. A total of 338 aspiring attorneys took the exam, and 143 – or 42% – passed. Of the 116 examinees who took the exam for the first time, 71 (61%) received a passing score. The successful examinees represent 38 Ohio counties and seven states.
APRIL 21, 2026
Board of Professional Conduct Files Disciplinary Case Reports and Recommendations
The Ohio Board of Professional Conduct has filed three case reports with the Supreme Court of Ohio.
Seats of Justice: Tuscarawas County
The next stop on the journey through Ohio’s county courthouses takes viewers to Tuscarawas County in eastern Ohio.
APRIL 17, 2026
Students See Justice in Action During 86th Off-Site Court
The Supreme Court of Ohio convened in Carroll County on April 15 for the 86th session of Off-Site Court, a traveling civic education program for high school students. Nearly a thousand students from four high schools attended the special session of Supreme Court oral arguments at Carrollton High School.
APRIL 14, 2026
Supreme Court Commissions Highlight Work of 2025
The commissions of the Supreme Court of Ohio that oversee continuing legal education (CLE) and attorney appointments in capital cases have published their annual reports.
APRIL 9, 2026
Rule Changes Clarify Who Can Receive Guardian ad Litem Reports
The Supreme Court of Ohio has adopted proposed rule changes to explain who can receive a report written by a guardian ad litem (GAL). The amendments also strengthen the protections against the unauthorized disclosure of GAL reports.
As the year winds down, it’s a chance to review the good work of the Supreme Court of Ohio, from its important legal decisions to its resourceful approaches to serve the courts, legal community, and public.
APRIL 23, 2026
Ohio Supreme Court rules submetering companies must be regulated like utilities: WBNS
The Ohio Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that companies that charge renters for energy through third-party “submetering” systems must be regulated like traditional utilities, a unanimous decision that consumer advocates say closes a long-standing legal loophole.
Ohio ruling expands utility protections for tenants using submetering: Columbus Dispatch
The Ohio Supreme Court dealt a blow to submetering companies by ruling that the middlemen should be regulated like utilities.